The Japanese government and the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS) have agreed to deepen relations towards the 2025 Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) ministerial meeting.

This is according to a statement by Shimada Mami, third secretary of the Culture and Information/General Protocol Section of the Embassy of Japan in Nigeria, on Saturday in Abuja.

According to Ms Mami, the agreement was reached after Tsuji  Kiyoto, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, met with Damtien Tchintchibidja, vice president of ECOWAS, who visited Japan to attend TICAD.

She said both parties also agreed to continue working together to strengthen connectivity in West Africa and for peace, stability and economic cooperation.

The secretary stated that Mr Kiyoto expressed gratitude to ECOWAS for its leadership in economic integration in West Africa.

In response, the ECOWAS vice president expressed her appreciation for Japan’s contribution to ECOWAS and stated that the sub-regional body would continue to work towards economic integration, peace and stability in West Africa.

(NAN)